96 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



The walls are built of stone or brick and rough cast, 

 and when the floor is thoroughly set, the wooden 

 supports should be removed. It will be noticed that 

 underneath the floor is a very large space which is useful 

 for storing pheasant coops, coals, or anything that 

 requires to be kept dry and out of the way. The back 

 part is fitted with divisions for a bothy, and store-room 

 or boiler-house for the preparation of the dogs' food. 

 A brick wall divides the sleeping accommodation for the 

 dogs. The walls are cemented flat and the sleeping 

 bench is of wood 20 in. off the ground. A two-inch 

 board is placed as a ledge, covered with strap iron to 

 prevent the dogs biting it. The doors into the run, 

 instead of having the usual shutter, have an opening 

 26 in. by 1 1 in. wide, 6 in. from ground. Close-fitting 

 swing doors are hung on these by two small pivots 

 at the top sides, so that the dogs going out and in 

 have only to push their head against the shutter, walk 

 through, and it swings back into place. The dogs 

 soon get accustomed to this, and the door being always 

 shut prevents draughts, ventilation coming in through 

 the eaves of the house. The walls of the run should 

 be of flat cement, and should not be over 2 \ ft. high, 

 a cement cope of 6 in. on which the railings, of 5 ft, 

 are set, makes a total height of about 8 ft. The 

 object of the low walls is to allow the sunshine and air 

 to dry the run after washing. The old-fashioned high 

 walls, meant for shelter, act as a shade, and prevent 

 entrance of sunshine, the walls become Qreen and 



